More assessable health care could mean a stronger state economy

When you think about growing a state's economy, most of us don't
think about health care. That is about to change. Governor Phil Bryant
was on the coast Friday morning launching a new initiative.

Governor
Bryant says the state needs 1000 new doctors. For each one, the
economic impact would be $2 million in buildings, staff, and equipment.
To train those doctors, Bryant said the states only teaching hospital
needs a $40 million upgrade.

"We must get started immediately on
that building if we're going to have the physicians necessary in the
field," the governor said.

This study was conducted by the
Mississippi Economic Council. The governor wants to make sure it's not
put on a shelf and forgotten.

"There will be a leadership
organization across the state made up of medical community experts that
will help us come together on a continuing basis to make sure the plan
is put into place," Bryant explained.

Expanding health care
opportunities in the state makes for good business. Blake Wilson is the
president of the Mississippi Economic Council.

"It's not just a
health care facility, but also all of those things that serve health
care, as well as pharmaceutical distribution, pharmaceutical
manufacture," Wilson said.

According to Wilson, a major component of the plan is offering tax breaks to medical companies that come here.

"The
legislature has already passed health care zone legislation and already
a significant distribution operation has located up in the northern
part of the state thanks to those health care zone incentives," Wilson
explained.

There are several goals involved in this health care
initiative spurred by the governor, but the number one goal is the more
health care that's available, the more jobs there are. Mike Mangum is a
Jackson County supervisor.

"Certainly, we're looking for jobs
that are going to be in the higher scale ranges," Mangum said. "We're
looking for jobs that are going to be in specialty things."

Those
jobs could play a key role in improving jot only the physical health of
Mississippians, but also the state's financial health as well.

Residents are still taking additional measures to stop the violence in Moss Point. Saturday afternoon, an outreach program on Main Street continued its efforts in the fight that's been going on for the past weeks.

Residents are still taking additional measures to stop the violence in Moss Point. Saturday afternoon, an outreach program on Main Street continued its efforts in the fight that's been going on for the past weeks.